A Long-Term Harvest
Jekyeong was not disappointed. Since this was only the beginning, there was no reason to be. The real problem was not the meager immediate results, but the human Spirit Artisans out there.
‘At least five months.’ Taking things slow was fine. The question was whether they could endure it. Cultivators were not machines. No matter how much they supplemented themselves with elixirs, there was no telling how far they could withstand the continuous labor and the depletion of their lifespans.
‘I have no choice but to take it slow.’ Jekyeong decided to ease his mind. At the very least, he shouldn't kill the chicken by rushing the egg.
Time passed, and after completing the third forging, Jekyeong had the human Spirit Artisans, who had practically turned into walking skeletons, relocate to an uninhabited island near Heukgyodo.
"Your work is now finished. From now on, you will reside here and raise disciples."
Hyeongu delivered Jekyeong's command, looking around at the human Spirit Artisans whose faces lit up with joy at the words 'work is finished.'
"Your families will arrive soon, and candidate disciples will follow shortly. You may live here in comfort without any worries. Of course, you won't just be idling away. You must train disciples to inherit your craft. The more you train, and the better they are, the greater your rewards will be."
Jekyeong had pondered as he watched the human Spirit Artisans' conditions deteriorate faster than expected. If he squeezed them to their absolute limits, he could probably force them through two more forgings, but after that, they would either die or become crippled. If that happened, he would have to wait indefinitely for new artisans of sufficient skill to appear. Wouldn't it be better to keep them as seeds and look forward to a new harvest?
His deliberation did not last long. Since he had already decided to take things easy, looking at the long term wasn't a bad idea.
Thus, they settled on this uninhabited island. Though it possessed nothing but a couple of low hills and a small sandy beach, in the eyes of the human Spirit Artisans, this place was paradise itself.
"All of you, show your gratitude for the Lord Dragon's grace!"
The human Spirit Artisans, their faces deeply wrinkled and their hair heavily streaked with white, prostrated themselves before Hyeongu. At this moment, the joy and gratitude they felt were absolutely genuine.
Originally, feeling their bodies grow weaker by the day, they had sensed their impending deaths. It was a despairing fate they wished to reject but could not. But now, they were liberated from the destiny of a miserable death. They could reunite with their families and were guaranteed a peaceful rest of their lives. How could they not be deeply moved?
"We thank the Lord Dragon for his boundless grace!"
Hyeongu, looking with satisfaction at the prostrated human Spirit Artisans, pulled a crude ring and a whistle from the thick necklace hanging around his neck.
"Food, construction materials, and all other necessary supplies are inside this. If you ever need anything else, come out here and blow this whistle. Someone will appear to assist you."
After Hyeongu finished speaking and departed, the human Spirit Artisans, wearing broad smiles, began to adapt to their new home.
At the same time Hyeongu was seeing off the human Spirit Artisans, Jekyeong was meeting with Choi Ju-tang in Bul-mang-won. However, unlike their usual meetings, this time Choi Ju-tang was the one asking the questions, and Jekyeong was the one answering.
"I hear the movements of the Beast Race are unusual. Do you happen to know anything?"
"No, I do not. As you know, I keep my distance from both sides, so their affairs rarely reach my ears."
In the past, Jang Yeong had at least visited periodically to share news, but after Jekyeong declared his virtual independence, even that had completely stopped. Furthermore, the Great Demons he met at the exchange conventions rarely paid attention to anything outside their own territories, so it was no exaggeration to say that Jekyeong was currently blind and deaf to the world.
"The rumors floating around are ominous. Judging by the atmosphere... it wouldn't be surprising if war broke out again."
Hearing those words, Jekyeong's mind also grew troubled. Choi Ju-tang was a veteran rogue cultivator who had grown old in the trade. Jekyeong could never match his ability to read the atmosphere and sense impending danger. Moreover, since he was currently employed by the Yeongbu Chamber of Commerce, the information he accessed must have originated from them.
‘Is war breaking out again?’
Actually, that expression wasn't entirely accurate. Strictly speaking, the previous war had never truly ended. It had merely fallen into a lull when the Jansu Whale King withdrew from the front lines.
‘If the Beast Race is making the first move, could it be that the Yojeong and the Gyeongwang Palace have joined hands?’
Jekyeong fell into deep thought.
Inside the Black Cult Palace, Jekyeong sat lost in thought, completely forgetting his cultivation.
‘If war breaks out again, it will be far more intense than before.’
The previous war had been short, and the casualties on both sides weren't that severe. Of course, according to rumors, quite a few Great Demons and Foundation Establishment cultivators had died, but compared to the tumultuous atmosphere that made it seem like the entire landscape of Yangseo Lake would be overturned, those losses couldn't be considered massive.
To use an analogy, it was like expecting a roaring blaze only for it to end after puffing out a few wisps of smoke. Just as the peak powers of both sides—the Demon Kings and the Golden Elixir cultivators—were about to clash and ignite the spark, it had fizzled out.
But this time would be different. If the Beast Race was truly trying to resume the war, it meant Gyeongwang Palace and the Yojeong had reached some sort of agreement.
‘Hard to believe.’
While Mu-ara might have thought he acted with a firm justification, from the perspective of the Jansu Whale King, Mu-ara and the factions of the Yojeong were traitors who had stabbed him in the back mid-war. Though Jekyeong didn't know if the Whale King was aware, they had even deliberately instigated the war. Would the Jansu Whale King truly swallow his rage and join hands with Mu-ara? And if they did join hands, why?
‘My information is too limited.’
Currently, Choi Ju-tang was his sole source of information, and even then, the only intelligence he could gather was the general atmosphere on the human side. Yet, even this was something to be grateful for. Despite being a member of the Beast Race himself, Jekyeong could obtain absolutely no information from the beast side. Ultimately, the ones pulling the strings of the Beast Race were Gyeongwang Palace and the Yojeong, but since Jekyeong had drawn a line and distanced himself from them, it couldn't be helped.
‘There's no other way.’
Stepping forward himself was out of the question, and inciting the Great Demons of the exchange convention to gather information was highly unrealistic. They lacked both the brains and the tact for such a task. Moreover, news of them aligning with him had likely spread to some extent, so clumsily mobilizing them might only lead to him getting caught.
‘For now, I have no choice but to quietly watch and wait.’
It was a relief that he had drawn a line with Gyeongwang Palace and the Yojeong beforehand. Although it had left him blind and deaf, at least they wouldn't stretch their hands toward him even if they waged war.
Time flowed quickly. But unlike before, Jekyeong could fully feel the passage of each day. It was due to the news Choi Ju-tang brought from Bul-mang-won and the resulting unease in his heart.
"I hear the construction of the immortal cities has begun. Array masters are being mobilized in droves, and Spirit Artisans are being summoned as well."
"Cultivators are flocking to the border regions."
"The Yeongbu Chamber of Commerce has posted recruitment notices for rogue cultivators. The payout is quite handsome. In the past, all sorts of scoundrels would have rushed to sign up, but this time they are acting rather cautiously. Well, they aren't fools, so they must have sensed something."
The humans were definitely preparing for war. And far more seriously than before.
"The human strategy has changed."
"Another Demon King has emerged, after all. Furthermore, according to you, the Great Demons who weren't previously affiliated with Gyeongwang Palace have flocked to the Yojeong, and Gyeongwang Palace, provoked by this, has also brought a massive number of rogue Great Demons under its banner. The human leadership must be aware of this, so they have no choice but to remain on the defensive."
War was a foregone conclusion. And by the looks of it, the roles of offense and defense would be reversed in this war.
However, humans were not the Beast Race. The Beast Race had no real place to call home. Most Great Demons possessed their own territories, but they could abandon them without regret at a moment's notice. Humans were different. Their immortal cities and towns were not things they could easily abandon.
"Senior, please be careful."
"I would like to, but it doesn't seem like it will be easy."
"Can you not retreat to the rear?"
"It's difficult. After all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator is a valuable asset, and if a newcomer like me tries to save his own skin, it will inevitably draw unfavorable attention from all sides."
Jekyeong asked, puzzled, "Since when did you care about such things, Senior?"
"Normally, I wouldn't. But since I've seized a good opportunity, I don't want to let go of it easily."
"No matter how good the opportunity, could it possibly be worth more than your life?"
"Of course not. But if I have something to rely on, I can afford to take a bit of a risk."
"Something to rely on?"
For a moment, Jekyeong wondered if Choi Ju-tang had managed to secure a reliable connection in the meantime, internally admiring his resourcefulness.
However...
"Jekyeong."
"Yes?"
"What do you think?"
"..."
It had been a very long time since Jekyeong had been rendered speechless like this. It felt like the first time since he had been dumbfounded by Cheongo's unexpected nonsense in the past.
"What you previously expected of Gwak Jeong-sin, you will do for me this time. You will play Gwak Jeong-sin's role, and I will play yours."
Hearing those words, Jekyeong instantly understood the picture Choi Ju-tang was trying to paint. He was trying to replicate the exact scheme Jekyeong had drawn up before.
"Senior, this war belongs to Gyeongwang Palace and the Yojeong. And I have clearly drawn a line between myself and those two places."
"You are wrong. While Gyeongwang Palace and the Yojeong are leading the war, this is, at least nominally, a war between the Human Race and the Beast Race. Therefore, isn't it perfectly natural for an unaffiliated Great Demon, driven by greed, to attack the Human Territory?"
Of course it was natural. Just as it was natural for someone blinded by greed to run amok and end up dead.
While he didn't feel like immediately leaving the room as he had the first time, Jekyeong still wanted to end this conversation. It felt like only yesterday that he had lost one of his horns after running wild under the influence of his Presence, and he had no desire to repeat the same mistake.
The reason Jekyeong had tried to put on a play with Gwak Jeong-sin was because they held positions that allowed them to lead a small force. Thus, they could orchestrate a plausible scenario at the right time, in the right place, and with the right intensity.
But Choi Ju-tang was different. While his strength might surpass Gwak Jeong-sin's, his position was merely that of a consecrated expert of the Yeongbu Chamber of Commerce. Although the title of consecrated expert sounded like a highly respected, high-ranking position, in reality, it carried almost no actual authority. It was essentially a long-term contract position for a rogue cultivator, expected to step forward and exert force whenever the chamber requested.
How much help could such a person provide, and how well could they coordinate? If Jekyeong carelessly entered the Human Territory and was caught in a sudden ambush by human cultivators, he might lose his remaining horn.
"I know what you are worried about. Rest assured. Do you think I would make unreasonable demands of you? I am not asking you to do anything right now. I am suggesting we see how things unfold and determine if we can cooperate then."
"Very well."
As long as he wasn't demanding a firm commitment on the spot, that was enough. If Choi Ju-tang refrained from being unreasonable, as he claimed, Jekyeong was more than willing to discuss options.
‘He must be getting anxious.’
When one had nothing, one was light on their feet and could act as they pleased. But once one acquired something, their body grew heavier, and their actions became constrained. Having become a consecrated expert of the Yeongbu Chamber of Commerce, Choi Ju-tang's circumstances had improved in many ways, but he had lost his peace of mind in exchange.
In the past, when Jekyeong had tried to recruit him, he had to put immense effort into persuading him despite promising a substantial reward. But now that their positions were reversed, Jekyeong found the situation quite amusing.
To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, Jekyeong deployed low-level water beasts to strengthen patrols along the outer boundaries of his waters. Of course, he didn't expect them to bring back high-quality intelligence; they were merely assigned the role of living alarms. If contact with them was ever cut off, it would serve as a sign that an enemy had invaded.
"How is the matter with the Spirit Artisans progressing?"
"I have had each of them take on three students to teach. We considered increasing the number, but they said there are no suitable candidates, and forcing more would only decrease efficiency..."
"You did well."
Regardless of the increasingly unstable situation outside, Jekyeong did not alter his original plan to take his time training the Spirit Artisans. He anticipated that Muju-ja's forging method would be of long-term benefit to him. If so, he needed to raise proper craftsmen, not defective products that would break after one or two uses.